Driving habits that damage your car

We’re all guilty of bad driving habits one way or another. But do you know how much damage they may cause to your car? Here are our top 10 driving habits that are secretly damaging your car. How many habits are you guilty of?

1. Not having your car regularly serviced

You could be putting your vehicle at risk if you skip car maintenance checks. Catch those problems before they get worse and more expensive. If you’re not sure on how often you should take your car to be serviced, check out our blog. Be sure to book your vehicle in for a service today with the use of our quick and easy online booking tool.

2. Driving with low fuel

Think about it, as your fuel level gets lower and lower, all that remains is the grimy sludge. This can be sucked into the system and cause blockages in the filter. Unfortunately, this can have a terrible effect and damage the filters and the fuel pump.

3. Driving in too high a gear

It may be more fuel-efficient to drive in a higher gear. However, driving in too high a gear at a low speed can create strain on the engine. It can damage your cylinder heads, leading to expensive repairs.

4. Resting your hand on the gear stick

A lot of manual car drivers tend to rest their hand on the gear stick between uses. What you may not know is that even the slightest pressure can cause internal wear of the transmission. Although it may not be a lot, it can build up over time and cause damage to your car.

5. Resting your foot on the clutch

Much like resting your hand on the gear stick, leaving your foot on the clutch will put unnecessary pressure on vital parts of the car. It can also lead to the clutch becoming heated which will cause increased wear.

6. Shifting from reverse to drive before stopping

Changing between reverse and drive before stopping is not great for your car, especially if you drive an automatic. The automatic gearbox is designed to shift gears, so leave the brakes to do the stopping. Shifting gears before stopping could result in hefty costs due to wear and tear on the transmission.

7. Revving your engine to warm up

Many drivers are guilty of this, it’s a great way to warm your car up faster during winter, right? Wrong. Did you know that revving the engine while it’s still cold can cause an extreme temperature change? The shock of the temperature can cause damage to parts of the engine that haven’t had time to become properly lubricated.

8. Ignoring dashboard warning lights

As we all know, the warning lights on the dashboard are designed to alert drivers when there’s a problem. But do we pay attention? We just shrug off the warnings and carry on driving. The problems that are being alerted could lead to severe and expensive issues.

9. Overloading your vehicle

The more your car weighs, the more strain you’ll be putting on the brakes, drivetrain and suspension. Refer to your owner’s manual to see what your vehicle’s maximum weight load is. Taking unnecessary items out of your car will not only make it lighter but will have a huge impact on your fuel economy.

10. Sudden braking

Of course, there’ll be times when you’ll need to conduct an emergency stop. In this case, sudden braking is crucial. However, braking late or harshly will put more tension on the braking system. This will wear out your pads and discs faster. It will also cost you more in fuel, so we recommend braking slowly.

Libby Simmons

Libby has been working for BookMyGarage writing articles, creating newsletters and handling the social media platforms. She works closely with ex-mechanics and subject matter experts to provide weekly blogs: essential advice on how to care for your car, need-to-know news and developments in the motoring world and helpful tips on how to cut the costs of running and maintaining your car.

Information

Blog

Connect

BookMyGarage is powered by The Motorist’s Organisation · Copyright 2019 · The Motorist’s Organisation Ltd, 1000 Lakeside,Portsmouth PO6 3EN · Registered in England and Wales no 08339147
033 numbers are mobile friendly, charged at national call rates and included in inclusive minute plans from landlines and mobiles. · Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for quality control and staff training purposes.